The best ways to get from LaGuardia Airport to Manhattan

The yearslong, $8 billion makeover at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is paying off. Once much maligned, LaGuardia is now winning awards for its upgraded facilities and services.

Just about every area of the airport has been improved, including the pathways to the parking garages. If you use ride-hailing services, you have to walk a bit to get to the Terminal B garage, but the walk is all indoors and quite pleasant.

You can also hail a yellow cab at all terminal buildings, and the signage around the airport is easy to follow to get to the right place. Along with public buses, passengers have several options for getting out of the airport and into the city to begin their weekend of shopping, dining and theatergoing.

One area, however, that is still lacking for the airport is train service. LaGuardia remains the only major airport in the New York City area without a direct rail option for passengers. The proposed AirTrain system to LaGuardia was officially canceled in 2023 over concerns about cost overruns and the viability of the service.

There is also no by-the-seat helicopter service from LaGuardia. While Blade offers individual helicopter flights from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Manhattan (for $195), the company does not offer the same service from LGA but says it's coming soon.

So, what is the best way to get from LGA to Manhattan? The final answer depends on factors such as personal preference, cost and where you want to go. Here are your options.

Bus

Hopping on the bus is far and away the most affordable option for getting from LGA into Manhattan, but it's also the slowest. Once you hop on the bus at the airport, you can take it to Harlem or Queens and transfer to another bus or the subway line to your final destination. You have two options here.

Option No. 1: The LaGuardia Link Q70, a free bus service

Depart from: You can catch the Q70 at terminals B and C. It runs every eight to 10 minutes and takes you nonstop to Queens and the Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue subway station.

Possible destinations: From Queens or the Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue subway station, you can hop on the E, F, M, or R train to get to Manhattan. Fair warning: You'll have to traverse stairs at this subway station, so if you're carrying lots of luggage, this may not be the best option.

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Hours of operation: The Q70 runs 24 hours a day.

Transit time: The trip takes about 15 minutes in normal New York City traffic.

Estimated cost: The Q70 is free, but you will have to pay to enter the subway station and board your train. That will cost you $2.90.

Option No. 2: The M60-SBS (Select Bus Service)

Depart from: The bus stops at every terminal at the airport. From there, you'll take it to upper Manhattan or Queens, where it stops at various locations.

Possible destinations: You can get to several destinations via the M60-SBS bus, including:

• 106th Street and Broadway
• 116th Street and Broadway
• 120th Street and Broadway
• Various stops along 125th Street
• Astoria in Queens

You can then hop on the A, C, B, D, 2, 3, 4 or 5 train to midtown or lower Manhattan or Brooklyn. From Astoria, take the N or W line into the city.

Hours of operation: The M60-SBS runs 24 hours a day.

Transit time: The M60-SBS ride into Manhattan will take around 50 minutes. If you hop on the subway on, say, 110th Street, it will be about 15 minutes to Times Square. Factor in the time it takes to walk from the bus to the subway and that you may be carrying luggage, and you're looking at about a 70- to 80-minute trip.

Estimated cost: It costs $2.90 to ride the M60-SBS bus. You can pay by tapping your credit card, debit card or smart device via OMNY, a contactless fare payment system. Transfers between the bus and the subway are free for two hours if you use the same card or device.

Subway

As mentioned above, there is no direct rail service from LGA into Manhattan or any other borough. Instead, you'll need to take a bus, a cab or a ride-hailing service to a subway station to hop on a train. It's a bit of a runaround, but once you're there, the subway offers the most options for reaching your final destination in the city.

Depart from: Leave from the Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue station, 61 Street-Woodside station or various stops in upper Manhattan.

Possible destinations: You can hop on the A, C, B, D, 2, 3, 4 or 5 train to midtown or lower Manhattan or Brooklyn. If coming from Astoria, take the N or W line into the city. From the Woodside station, you can hop on the 7 train, which stops at Grand Central Station and Fifth Avenue on the East Side, Times Square and 34th Street-Hudson Yards. This stop is ideal if you're staying on the west side of Manhattan.

Hours of operation: The subway runs 24 hours a day.

Transit time: From upper Manhattan to Times Square, a subway ride between stations should be no longer than 18 minutes. If you're going to lower Manhattan, it could take 30 minutes on a local train like the C (which makes every stop on the line). If you catch the A express train at the 125th Street station, you could go all the way downtown to Chambers Street in about 20 minutes.

Estimated cost: A subway ride costs $2.90, and you can use Apple Pay directly at the turnstile. You can also purchase an MTA card, which isn't a bad idea if you're planning to navigate the city like a local.

Long Island Rail Road

The LaGuardia Link Q70 also connects passengers to the Long Island Rail Road, the busiest commuter railroad in North America. LIRR trains offer a more comfortable ride experience than the subway and cost a bit more. They also go into Penn Station on 34th Street, making the LIRR a convenient option.

Depart from: Take the Q70 to the 61 Street-Woodside station, then transfer to the LIRR.

Possible destinations: Take the train from Woodside to Penn Station on 34th Street between Seventh and Eighth avenues. This is a very convenient destination point if you're staying near Herald Square or on the west side of Manhattan.

Hours of operation: The LIRR runs 24 hours a day.

Transit time: The trip from Woodside to Penn Station should take around 11 minutes.

Estimated cost: The cost of an LIRR fare depends on the time you're riding. A CityTicket, good for one-way travel, to Penn Station will cost $5 during off-peak hours or $7 during peak hours. (Peak time is between 6 and 10 a.m. and from 4 to 8 p.m.)

Taxi

Taxis remain indispensable in daily transportation in and around New York City. For many, hopping in a cab remains the best and least stressful way to get from LaGuardia into Manhattan.

Depart from: Metered taxi services are available at all terminal buildings at LGA.

Possible destinations: Your cabbie can take you anywhere you want to go and drop you off directly at the front door of your building.

Hours of operation: Cabs are available at the airport 24 hours a day.

Transit time: The ride will vary depending on several factors, with traffic often being the biggest. It is less than 12 miles from LGA to Times Square, and during the morning, that could easily be a 45- to 60-minute ride. If you're going downtown to, say, SoHo, it could also take 45 minutes.

Depending on your schedule, if you land at LGA on an early morning flight during the week, you may be better off grabbing breakfast at a lounge at the airport and avoiding the morning rush hour.

Estimated cost: Taxi fares to Manhattan from LGA average around $35 to $40, not including tolls, tips or mandatory surcharges (the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates LGA, adds a $1.75-per-trip Access Fee for pickups at the airport). Factoring in those costs, you can expect a cab ride to Times Square to cost you around $50. You can find more details on LaGuardia Airport's website.

Uber or Lyft

Using Uber, Lyft or another ride-hailing service is just as convenient as a cab ride but will likely wind up being more expensive.

During busy times, Uber will cost roughly $60, not including tips. We've often saved between $5 and $7 per ride by choosing Lyft, but it depends on the time of day you get in. Choosing a shared vehicle will save you money but not time. Expect a much longer ride if you go this route.

Depart from: The app from the ride-hailing service you choose will tell you where to go to find your car and driver. The redevelopment at LGA has made ride pickups much easier and more organized. Here are the passenger pickup spots by terminal:

• Terminal A: The pickup area is located directly outside and across the street from the terminal.
• Terminal B: The app-based ride pickup area is located on Level 2 of the Terminal B parking garage, which is directly adjacent to Terminal B. Follow the "Car Services" signs to the pickup area.
• Terminal C: Pickup areas for ride-hailing services are located at the Terminal C arrivals (ground) level. You will wait for your driver in the arrivals inner lane.

Possible destinations: For convenience, it's tough to beat an Uber or Lyft ride from the airport. Much like cabs, a ride-hailing service can take you anywhere you want to go.

Hours of operation: You can order a ride at any time. Given the passenger traffic at LaGuardia, there is never a shortage of drivers nearby.

Transit time: As with a taxi, your travel time will depend on the time of day, traffic and where you're going. If the cost is something your budget can handle, it's far and away the most convenient.

Estimated cost: The cost of an Uber or Lyft depends on traffic and congestion pricing. According to Uber, you can expect a ride from LGA to Times Square to cost around $50 to $60 before tip.